A thread. I'm not an expert on #CRT. But I'm positive I've read more original materials and actual analysis of CRT than the TN legislators now outlawing teaching CRT to our students, or the numerous pastors weighing in without education that it is incompatible w/ Christianity 1/

To summarize, CRT is a derivative of the study of Critical Legal Theory, which argues that "law is not objective or apolitical." (See https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/civil-rights-reimagining-policing/a-lesson-on-critical-race-theory/) 2/

This seems obvious, on the face of the statement. Laws (at least those that are not natural) are drafted by humans. Call us sinful, fallen, broken, imperfect - I think we can all agree that throughout history, humans have written laws that work for those in power, and 3/

sometimes those laws benefit those not in power. But, those laws, written by people are imperfect and serve to support the moral and ethical standards or aspirations of that era. They are subject to change, with shifting political, religious, and cultural perspectives. 4/

and they serve to reinforce and propagate the culture of those in power.

CRT examines how law creates and reinforces racial constructs. CRT itself is not the conclusion, or outcome of that examination - rather the act of examining and interrogating the legal and societal 5/

systems that define race. In America, it seems self apparent that our laws, from the earliest days of settlement, when laws were created to remove the personhood of African slaves, and make their enslavement legal on the basis of skin color and geographic origin 6/

legalizing the brutal kidnapping, transport, and enslavement of human image bearers of God, as well as the selling and buying, raping, separating of families, and beating into submission of people based on a legal construct that denied their own "inalienable" rights /7

to later Jim Crow laws, that made acting on newly "granted" rights difficult, if not impossible.

CRT is often rejected by conservatives because they say it teaches kids that they are racists. Conversely, I would argue, it teaches, that racism is taught and learned through /8

the systems and laws of our society. And as such, we can choose to teach and raise our kids something different. Something better, something that actually does endeavor to create a society where people of all skin colors, ethnicity, and geography have the same opportunities /9

and where while still imperfect, still written by broken lawmakers, we can codify greater aspirations. /10

Arguments I've seen from Christian theologians include that CRT is incompatible with Christianity because "the Bible covers everything we need to know" and "racism is a heart issue." But I see the theory that system propagate sinful heart issues as extremely compatible. /11

Written by broken, sinful people, laws that legitimize sinful behavior is a continuation of the original lie of the serpent. "You will be like God." And then man thought he could make the rules. So, it should be no surprise, that when we make the rules, /12

we continue to make them out of that original pride of sin - "does God really know best?"

But, we have the possibility of repentance in laws that would seek to turn from wrong, and do justice going forward. We can learn from the errors or our ancestors. We can choose to /13

teach our kids differently. We can choose, if we happen to be in the privileged class, to relinquish our privilege. And we can do so voluntarily, and we can change our systems and laws to support and execute a better, less imperfect society. /14

Or we can add some more laws to keep things status quo. I'm not good with that.